July 17, 2024 – Texas Parks and Wildlife is planning to restore bighorn sheep to the Franklin Mountains this fall.
North Franklin Peak is a mountain in the Franklin Mountains. North Franklin, at 7,192 feet (2,192 m), is the highest point in El Paso, and the 27th-highest mountain in the state of Texas. It is surrounded by a state park and with a maintained trail leading to its summit, the mountain is a popular hiking destination.
Texas has eleven herds of free-ranging desert bighorn sheep, the result of restocking efforts begun in 1954 and continuing to the present time.
Desert bighorn sheep are a subspecies of bighorn sheep. They are consider the most threatened of all the bighorn subspecies. Both males and females develop large horns after birth. There is evidence that they use these horns to break open cactus in search for food and water. Males use the horns for fighting and to maintain dominance.
This subspecies is well adapted to rocky dessert condition. The rely on keen eyesight and their excellent climbing abilities to escape coyotes bobcats and other predators.
